Rawlins County, Kansas

{{Infobox U.S. county

|county = Rawlins County

|state = Kansas

|type = County

|ex image = Rawlin Co KS Courthouse.JPG

|ex image cap = Rawlins County Courthouse in Atwood (2010)

|founded = March 20, 1873

|named for = John Aaron Rawlins

|seat wl = Atwood

|largest city wl = Atwood

|area_total_sq_mi = 1070

|area_land_sq_mi = 1069

|area_water_sq_mi = 0.2

|area percentage = 0.01%

|population_footnotes =

|population_as_of = 2020

|population_total = 2561

|pop_est_footnotes =

|pop_est_as_of =

|population_est =

|population_density_sq_mi = 2.4

|area codes = 785

|district = 1st

|time zone = Central

|website = {{URL|https://sites.google.com/a/rawlinscounty.org/rawlins-county-courthouse/|County Website}}

|coordinates = {{coord|39|48|N|101|06|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-KS|display=inline,title}}

}}

Rawlins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Atwood.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}} As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,561.{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Rawlins County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rawlinscountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819201625/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rawlinscountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |url-status=live}} It was named after John Rawlins, a general in the American Civil War.

History

=Early history=

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America were inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

=19th century=

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1873, Rawlins County was established.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1070|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1069|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.2|sqmi}} (0.1%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

Hitchcock County, Nebraska (north)
Red Willow County, Nebraska (northeast)
Decatur County (east)
Thomas County (south)
Sherman County (southwest/Mountain Time border)
Cheyenne County (west)
Dundy County, Nebraska (northwest/Mountain Time border)

Demographics

Image:USA Rawlins County, Kansas age pyramid.svg based on 2000 census age data]]

{{US Census population

|1880= 1623

|1890= 6756

|1900= 5241

|1910= 6380

|1920= 6799

|1930= 7362

|1940= 6618

|1950= 5728

|1960= 5279

|1970= 4393

|1980= 4105

|1990= 3404

|2000= 2966

|2010= 2519

|2020= 2561

|estyear=2023

|estimate=2463

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 3, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 28, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 28, 2014}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ks190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 28, 2014}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 28, 2014}} 2010-2020

}}

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}} of 2000, there were 2,966 people, 1,269 households, and 846 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 1,565 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 98.52% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.07% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,269 households, out of which 27.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 4.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 31.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 3.80% from 18 to 24, 21.50% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 25.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 99.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,105, and the median income for a family was $40,074. Males had a median income of $26,719 versus $19,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,161. About 7.90% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government

=Presidential elections=

{{Hidden

|headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;

|contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;

|header = Presidential election results

|content =

{{PresHead|place=Rawlins County, Kansas|source={{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title = Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections}}}}

}}

The county is part of the highly Republican Kansas's 1st congressional district. It has favored the Republican candidate for president in each of the last eighteen elections. The last Democrat to carry the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, when the GOP standard bearer was Kansas Governor Alf Landon.[http://geoelections.free.fr/USA/elec_comtes/1936.htm Geographie Electorale] As of 2024, Bill Clinton in 1992 remains the last Democratic nominee to exceed even 20% of the county's vote.

=Law=

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2002, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.{{Cite web| url=http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm| title=Map of Wet and Dry Counties| publisher=Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue| date=November 2006| access-date=December 26, 2007| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008013617/http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm| archive-date=October 8, 2007}}

Education

=Unified school districts=

Rawlins County USD 105

Communities

Image:Map of Rawlins Co, Ks, USA.png)]]

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Rawlins County.{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Rawlins County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/rawlins.PDF |publisher=Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207111609/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/rawlins.PDF |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |date=July 2009 |url-status=live}}

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

=Cities=

Atwood (county seat)
Herndon
McDonald

=Unincorporated communities=

Blakeman
Ludell†

=Ghost towns=

=Townships=

Old maps show that Rawlins County had twenty townships in 1906,[https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4203rm.gla00158/?sp=4 ]. Outline Map of Rawlins County, Kansas]. Chicago : Geo. A. Ogle & Co., 1906. Accessed via Library of Congress, 1 April 2025. with no boundary changes as of 1928:Outline Map of Rawlins County, Kansas. Published by Brock & Company in 1928. Burntwood, Driftwood, Elk, Richland, Beaver, Ludell, Herndon, Celia, Logan, Atwood, Union, Laing, Rotate, Mirage, Mikesell, Arbor, Achilles, Grant, Clinton, Jefferson.

The county is currently divided into ten townships. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally independent, and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

class="toccolours" border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;"

|+align="bottom"|Sources: [https://web.archive.org/web/20020802223743/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html 2000 U.S. Gazetteer] from the U.S. Census Bureau.

style="background:#ccccff"

! Township !! FIPS !! Population
center

! Population !! Population
density
/km² (/sq mi)

! Land area
km² (sq mi) !! Water area
km² (sq mi) !! Water %

! Geographic coordinates

Achilles

00175

1 (2)

132 (51)

0 (0)

0.02%

{{coord|39|42|13|N|100|48|38|W

}

| Atwood || 03175 || || 1,330 || 74 (192) || 18 (7) || 0 (0) || 0.88% || {{coord|39|48|38|N|101|2|34|W|}}

| Center || 12037 || || 363 || 1 (1) || 690 (266) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|43|11|N|101|3|56|W|}}

| Driftwood || 18675 || || 84 || 0 (1) || 185 (72) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|57|56|N|101|4|59|W|}}

| Herl || 31462 || || 386 || 1 (2) || 491 (190) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|49|24|N|100|49|54|W|}}

| Jefferson || 35300 || || 34 || 0 (1) || 124 (48) || 0 (0) || 0.04% || {{coord|39|36|42|N|100|48|31|W|}}

| Ludell || 43200 || || 136 || 1 (4) || 92 (35) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|39|51|30|N|100|57|1|W|}}

| Mirage || 47175 || || 43 || 0 (1) || 185 (71) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|38|53|N|101|14|2|W|}}

| Rocewood || 60362 || || 448 || 1 (2) || 742 (287) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|48|17|N|101|18|59|W|}}

| Union || 72275 || || 59 || 1 (1) || 111 (43) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|39|46|51|N|100|53|55|W|}}

References

External links

;County

{{Official website|https://sites.google.com/a/rawlinscounty.org/rawlins-county-courthouse/|Rawlins County - Official Website}}
[https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260477 Rawlins County - Directory of Public Officials]
[http://visitrawlinsco.com/ Rawlins County - Community Development]

;Other

[http://www.squaredealnews.com Rawlins County Square Deal News], newspaper

;Maps

Rawlins County Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/rawlins.PDF Current], [http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp Historic], KDOT
Kansas Highway Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current], [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic], KDOT
Kansas Railroad Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp Current], [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227379 1996], [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227380 1915], KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

{{Geographic location

|Center = Rawlins County, Kansas

|North = Hitchcock County, Nebraska

|Northeast = Red Willow County, Nebraska

|East = Decatur County

|Southeast =

|South = Thomas County

|Southwest = Sherman County

|West = Cheyenne County

|Northwest = Dundy County, Nebraska

}}

Category:Kansas counties